THE MARRIAGE BATTLE
EPISODE 1
Adaobi: Father, you do not have to worry about anything, when I get married I will still be taking care of you and my brothers.
Papa: I hope so ooo. I trust that you will and make it a duty to also look after your brothers.
Adaobi: I will Papa but you are the one I am more concerned about, your health is deteriorating day by day. Don’t worry, when next I come we will go for medical checkup.
Papa: There is no nee-d for that, for how long will you keep spending money on me? I know the diabetes I am suffering from won’t go for I am of old age alre-ady.
Adaobi: Don’t say that Papa, I will keep taking care of you ooo or am I complaining?
Papa: You are not but I am, you should spend your money on other stuff not my health.
Adaobi: Papa plea-se, st©p saying that. I am and will keep taking care of you and my siblings till God knows when. I know what we have been throu-gh and I won’t st©p helping in any way I can.
Papa: Well, what can I say if not thank you and thank God for giving me a daughter like you. If only your mother was here to see this day, she will be so proud of you.
Adaobi: I know Papa and I miss Mom every day of my life. I wish when she fell ill ten years ago, I was able to help her.
Papa : It is not your fault and do not think too much about the past.
Adaobi: Yes Papa.
Papa: How about your husband to be, when is he coming?
Adaobi: He will be coming to make his intentions known in two months or so for I am not too sure.
Papa: You’re not too sure of when he is coming? Are you two quarreling?
Adaobi: No Papa, we are not. He is a very busy man and his schedules are always too ti-ght.
Papa: Okay,Let me know whenever you both are re-ady.
Adaobi: Yes Papa but Papa, you people should not be too ha-rd on him when he comes ooo.
Papa: Are you scared alre-ady?
Adaobi: No Papa, I am just saying.
Papa: Do you love him?
Adaobi: Of course I do Papa.
Papa: I am asking because I want to be very sure if you do, hope you can tolerate and endure with him in times of trouble?
Adaobi: Yes Papa and you do not have to worry for we will scale throu-gh whatever difficulties lies ahead.
Papa: Good, I am glad to hear you say that. I do not want to hear that you divorced him or he divorced you ooo, live peacefully as husband and wife and do whatever he ask you to do.
During my time, we never had any case of divorce like you people are having now and I am not in support of it, Am I un-derstood?
Adaobi: Very well Papa.
Papa: Good.
Adaobi: Ermmm Papa
Papa: Yes.
Adaobi: When he comes for the list, plea-se tell Uncle Emenike to be lenient ooo for I don’t like what he did when Chinenye his daughter was getting married.
Papa: Hmmm, my elder brother is very stubborn, but I will talk to him.
Adaobi: ‘Thank you Papa’ she bent in front of him as she said it and he pat her on the back saying ‘you are welcome’.
Adaobi is the first and only Daughter of Mr. Nzekwe for he is retired civil servant whose wife pas-sed out 10 years ago after a brief illness leaving him to take care of Adaobi and her two junior ones named Chidi and Chibuzo.
Adaobi met her soon to be husband two years ago when she visited a friend of hers named Funmi and ever since then they have been d@t!ngand about to tie the knot.
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Mami: “Ayo my son this one you c@m£ to the house today, I thought you have forgotten your family?” She said as soon as he drove into the house.
Ayo: Mami, how can I forget you, how can I forget my own family? E no fit happen.
Mami: I hope so ooo because I carried you nine months and you su-cked my brea-st.
Ayo: I am sorry that I have not been visiting you like I should but you should un-derstand work is what is keeping me busy.
Mami: Hmmm okay oooo, I have heard.
Ayo: Where is Kemi, I haven’t heard her voice since I c@m£ in.
Mami: That one, she went to visit a friend of hers.
Ayo: Hope she is okay?
Mami: ‘She is fine oooo’ and they both went into the house.
Ayo: Mami, how are you?
Mami: As you can see, I am fine.
Ayo: Yes I can see that. do you nee-d more money, has the one I s£nt to you two weeks back finished?
Mami: I am okay, you should ask your Junior sister Kemi if she nee-ds the money, I am fine as it is.
Ayo: Hmmm, Alright. I actually c@m£ to talk to you about something important.
Mami: What is it? Hope you are not in trouble?
Ayo: No Mami, I am not.
Mami: Then what is it?
Ayo: I have found the woman of my dreams and want to get married.
Mami: Really, Wow! So finally, you want to settle down?
Ayo: Yes Mami.
Mami: Good news, very good news.
Ayo: Thank you Mami.
Mami: Who is she and where is she from? Who is my wonderful daughter in-law?
Ayo: She is an igbo girl Mami.
Mami: A what?
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Hope you are all re-ady for this journey?
THE MARRIAGE BATTLE
EPISODE 2
Mami: Who is she and where is she from? Who is my wonderful daughter in-law?
Ayo: She is an igbo girl Mami.
Mami: A what?
Ayo: An igbo girl.
Mami: Why an igbo girl, what happened to Funke?
Ayo: Mami, Funke and I p@rt ways long ago, her name is Adaobi.
Mami: Lai Lai! You won’t get married to an igbo girl ooo.
Ayo: Why Mami, what happened to me marrying one?
Mami: Don’t you know that igbo girls are not good people, they are bad. You will not ooo and I won’t allow it.
Ayo: Ah! Mami , there is nothing you or anyone can do about it because I have alre-ady made up my mind.
Mami: That mind that you have made up, can still be changed, after all you haven’t married her.
Ayo: But you haven’t given me any reason to change my mind. Okay, what is your reason?
Mami: Igbo people like money too much, they can even kill their people just for it.
Ayo: Is that all?
Mami: Don’t you know that the girl you want to marry is only after your money? After they have finished su-cking you dry, they will kill you and inherit all your properties.
Ayo: Hahahahaha, Mami, not everyb©dy is like that and you watch too much naija movies.
Mami: Says who? I am telling you what I know or am I not your mother again?
Ayo: you are.
Mami: Am I not the one that carried you nine months in my tommy?
Ayo: You are.
Mami: have I ever lied to you?
Ayo: No Mami.
Mami: Then you have to listen to whatever I say to you, I will not bury my son or daughter before my time ooo, you will not marry her.
Ayo: How can you say such a thing when you do not even know her yourself, she is a nice person ooo.
Mami: Why won’t she be nice when you are a rich man, all girls are nice once they perceive that.
Ayo: Mami plea-se, I have made up my mind.
Mami: Against your mothers will?
Ayo: I am sorry Mami but yes.
Mami: okay then, if that is what you will say but don’t say I didn’t warn you ooo.
Ayo: ‘It won’t come to that’ he said stubbornly.
Mami: I have told you my own ooo.
Ayo: I have heard.
Mami: seeing that Ayo has made up his mind, decided to let it go “When is she coming to visit me?”
Ayo: Wow Mami, are you saying you have agreed?
Mami: Don’t ask me that question my friend, when is she coming to visit me or are we not important again?
Ayo: “Thanks Mami” he hvgged her ‘I will bring her to you one of these day’s.
Mami: Good for I will be waiting to see her.
Ayo: ‘Thanks Mami’ he said again.
___________.
While Adoabi was still with her family in the village for she c@m£ to pay them a visit. Chidi and Chigozie were happy that she will soon be getting married.
Chidi: When Papa told us, we were very happy.
Adaobi: Really?
Chigozie: Of course. At least you will have someb©dy to take care of you a little.
Adoabi: Thanks guys, I am very happy. What else did Papa tell you guys?
Chidi: Nothing else just that your suitor will soon be coming.
Chigozie: Where is he from?
Adobi: He is from Ekiti State.
Chidi: Wow! So you want to get married to Yoru-ba man?
Adaobi: Yes, is anything wrong with that?
Chidi: Nothing oooo, it’s just that they like p@rty too much and they are dirty people.
Adaobi: Hhahaahaha who told you that?
Chigozie: That’s what people say or aren’t they?
Adaobi: Well, it depends and you do know that some igbo people too are dirty.
Chidi: Yes but their own is extreme.
Adaobi: Hahahahaha chidi, you won’t kill me.
Chigozie: but it is true that they like p@rty too much isn’t it?
Adaobi: Well, I won’t argue with that because the man I want to get married to like p@rty too much.
Chigozie: it means that your wedding will be big, naming ceremony a big p@rty will be thrown, child dedication, p@rty too. Even baby showers and bachelor eve p@rty too.
Adaobi: I do not know about that until we get there, you know I am not a p@rty freak.
Chigozie: if his family likes it, you will have to adapt.
Adaobi: You are right sha.
Chidi: Do you love him?
Adaobi: Yes I do.
Chigozie: What is his name?
Adaobi: His name is Ayo.
Chidi: We would still be close as ever even though you are getting married abi?
Adaobi: Why, you think I won’t be there for you?
Chidi: It’s not that, just that hope marriage would change your behavior towards us and Papa.
Adaobi: Why are you saying this? I love you guys so very much and whether I get married or not, I will always be there for you guys because you are my responsibilities.
Chidi: I love you so very much and I will miss you.
Adobi: ‘I love you too’ she went and hvgged him ‘I won’t miss you because you are always welcomed in my house.
Chigozie: Can we come and live with you?
Adaobi: I can’t believe you are asking me that question but someone will have to stay here and take care of Papa and that Person is you for your school is close to the house. You should be visiting Papa every weekend and when I am on my own, I will look for someone who will be taking care of him always or he will come and live with me permanently.
Chigozie: ‘Okay’ he smiled.
Chidi: You mean when you get married?
Adaobi: Yes when I get married.
Chigozie is in higher institution while Chidi is about to round up secondary school and they are both inseperable.
Chidi who is the last child looks up to his elder sister and brother for they were his world while Chigozie, who is the man of the house makes sure that his little brother is alright and be of help to his sister whenever he can. The bond between them is so strong that outsiders are envious of them.
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Mami: Kemi, where have you been for the past three days that to call your mother and inform her that you won’t be home is difficult for you.
Kemi: Mami I am sorry, Is it not bu-mmi that kept me in her house, she didn’t want me to live saying that the house is too boring and she can’t stay alone.
Mami: Is that why you refused to call?
Kemi: I am sorry Mami, it escaped my mind.
Mami: Because I am not important na. you and Ayo are turning into something else.
Kemi: Wow, brother Ayo was here?
Mami: Yes he was.
Kemi: I missed him ooooo, when?
Mami: Three days ago.
Kemi: Mami you should have atleast called me na.
Mami: really? Why didn’t you call me yourself?
Kemi: ooooo did he sign any check for you to give me?
Mami: No he didn’t.
Kemi: Ah! I nee-d money oooo.
Mami: Call him yourself and ask for it.
Kemi: Mami, hope you didn’t tell him anything bad about me for it is when you bad mouth me that he doesn’t give me money.
Mami: So I am now a bad person.
Kemi: I didn’t say that, I am only asking.
Mami: Call him and find out.
Kemi: Okay.
Mami: By the way, he will be getting married very soon.
Kemi: Really, wow! So I will soon be having a sister in law, that is nice.
Mami: Yes it is nice for soon, you won’t be receiving all this alert you have been receiving.
Kemi: Mami, that is a lie for Brother Ayo loves me his only sister so much, he won’t do that.
Mami: Watch and see then.
Kemi: it seems you don’t like her.
Mami: I don’t.
Kemi: Did he come with her?
Mami: He didn’t.
Kemi: Why don’t you like her then?
Mami: Because she is an igbo girl.
Kemi: hmmm.
Mami: What?
Kemi: I reserve my comment.
Mami: na you sabi, just make sure you are here when she comes.
Kemi: Yes Mami.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 3